Effect

In battle

Generation I-III

Waterfall does damage and has no secondary effect.

Generation IV-V

Along with damage, Waterfall now also has a 20% chance of causing the target to flinch.

Outside of battle

Generation II and on

Waterfall has an effect outside battle that allows players to climb waterfalls. Note that in Generations II and III, the HM move Waterfall is not required to go down waterfalls, whereas in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum versions, it is required. This is probably to prevent players from getting stuck from accidentally going down a waterfall and being unable to get back up. Despite this, in HeartGold and SoulSilver versions, it is no longer required to go down waterfalls, likely because of a lack of accessible down falls without first climbing up one.

Description

Games

Description

The target is hit with a blow packing the power of fish traveling up waterfalls.

Trivia

Waterfall was the first move to gain HM status in a generation after it was introduced, doing so in Generation II. Only Rock Smash shares this trait, though it does not remain an HM in all subsequent generations.